Female sexuality is one of those things that few people get right in movies. And male directors don't help the cause. Which is one reason why 'The Diary of a Teenage Girl' is such an exhilarating ride.

It isn't unusual for a handful of films with Oscar hopes to open last-minute around Christmas, sometimes in just a few theaters. But this year more significant awards contenders than usual are heading for the big screen. How they fare could impact their awards momentum.

The fall season began in earnest this weekend as several top festival films opened well. Fox Searchlight's tough guy thriller "The Drop," starring Tom Hardy and James Gandolfini, landed in sixth place in the Top Ten, opening in over 800 theaters for an excellent gross of $4.2 million. The clear stan...